Electric switch



2 SHEETSSHEET l.

G. A. BURNHAM. ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION mm ma. 5, I916.

Patented June 24, 1919.

G. A. BURNHAM.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5, ms.

m I .vfk P W 4 m K Mm. #512 M J mm 0 d m n4 M 8 .V. M/ P 66 z a 2 0w Wm/ 79 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. BURNHAM, OF SAUGUS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SEARS B. CONDIT, JIL, 0F BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed February 5, 1916.

To (all MilO/i't it may concern:

lie it known that I, Gnonen A. BURNIIAM, a itizen of the United States, residing at Haugus, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

When electric-switches or circuit-breakers are placed out of doors, as for instance on poles, great care must be taken to prevent the rain and snow from entering the inclos ing-case or drifting thereinto by the force of the wind.

This invention has for its object the construction of an electric-switch or circuitbreaker having an inclosing-case especially well adapted to be placed out of doors and to be subjected to the condition of weather above noted.

The component parts of the case are fitted together with tight weatherproof joints; the top part of the ease overhangs the oil-cone partment; the insulated bushings .for the circuit-wires are arranged in the bottom of the overhanging portion and extend in a downward direction; the cover of the case is separately removable; the switch elements are arranged on a supporting-plate which is connected with the top part of the case, so that they may be removed as a unit from the case upon removal of the cover; the oil-can is also separately removable from the top part of the case; the overhanging top part of the case has a hollow extension arranged at one side which is open at its lower end and extends over the handle thereby shields the opening in the case from the weather, or, at least, its inner end-portion, so that an externally disposed handle may be employed which is extended through a hole in the wall of the case and is connected with the switch-operating mechanism.

It is also desirable that the switch be in open circuit condition before it is removed from the casing.

Consequently, another object of the invention is in the provision of means whereby the switch can be removed from the casing only when it has been first moved to open position.

This result. is obtained by providing the switch operating handle detachable from the switch operating mechanism and extending Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 24 1919.

Serial No. 76,249.

it through an opening in the ease for engagement with a component part of the operating mechanism. The handle bears a spline which engages a spline way in said component part of the operating mechanism and the opening in the casing has a way permitting the passage of the spline therethrough. The way in the opening through the wall of the casing and the spline way in the component part of the operating mechanism is arranged to be in alinemcnt only in the open condition of the switch. in which condition the handle may be extracted and the switch unit removed from the casing.

At all other positions of the switch mechanism, the ways are not in alinement and upon the attempted removal of the handle the spline is brought up against the solid casing Wall which prevents further movement toward the removal of the handle. hen the handle is extended through the wall of the casing and is in engagement with the switch mechanism, it efi'ectually locks the switch unit against removal from the casing.

Another feature of the invention is the construction of the switch-operating mechanism which may be easily and cheaply manufactured, is strong and durable and not liable to get out of order. and which may be easily operated.

Another feature of the invention is the construction of the switch elements, both the stationary and the movable switch-elements involving improven'ients aiming to increase the durability of the parts and also the elliciency of operation, and, furthermore, to enable certain wearing parts to be easily replaced.

Many features disclosed. but not claimed in this application, are disclosed and claimed in application Serial No. 76,248, filed F ebrnary 5, 1916.

Figure 1 is a front elevation and partial section of an electric switch or circuitbreaker embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the switch operating mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail of a portion of the switch-operating mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of one ol the stationary switch elements, and a fragmentary portion of a. movable switchelcment in engagement thermvith.

i represents the oil-can or receptacle which is of any suitable shape and dimensions; I2 is an enlarged top-portion arranged on said can and removably attached thereto by means whereby a watentight joint is insured; and 13 is a cover titled on top of said enlarged topportion by means whereby a water-tight joint is insured. 'lhese several components term the inclosinn-case.

In the particular structure here shown the enlarged top-portion 12 has a downwardly extended flange H, titted to the top of the can which is secured in place by an angularl}. 'lorlned screw 1'3, with a butterfly nut thereon, which admits of the top-portion and the (am being separable. The cover 115 has outwardly extended ars. and bolts 17 piuded at. l??? to the outside of said top-portion. are arranged in detachable engagemeut with said ears. there being butterfly nuts arranged on said bolts, thus admitting ol' the removal of the cover. The enlarged top-portion of the case being much larger in area than the can enables it to overhang the can, and the bushings 19, for the circuit-wires, are arranged in the bottom part of said top-portion and extended downwardly so that water flowing down the outside wall of the top-portion will pass the bushings without tendency to enter the case. Said top-portion has, at opposite sides, slotted wings 20, by which the device may be secured to a. pole or other support.

The switclrelements are supported by a plate 22. arranged in the top-portion, its margins beingsecured to the bottom wall thereol by screws or other means. this admits of the switch-elements being removed as a unit upon removal of the cover, or the removal of the top-portion when the latter is separated from the can, and also admits of the removal of the can when the latter is separated from the top-portion.

There are or may be several pairs of stationary switch-elements and corresponding movable switch-elements. In Fig. 5, one of the stationary switch-elements is shown, and it will be understood that the other switchelements may be similarly constructed. Said switch-element comprises two cylindrical bushings 25 and 26, eoniplementally arranged in alinement, and a long bolt 27 extended through them and pro3ected therefrom at each end, a newly formed pole-piece arranged on said bolt at one end of the element, and newly formed binding-means arranged on said bolt at the other end thereof, the pole-piece and the binding-means, together with the bushings, all being held as sembled by the bolt.

The newly formed pole-piece comprises a flat disk 29, having a center hole for the bolt, and having a metallic clip 30 extended over and detachably secured by a. screw Ill, to its mar in, said clip being coextensive only with t ie short are of the dish.

A segmental plate 28 or washer also may be employed which is arranged between the disk 29 and the end ol the bushing; 2b. The outer surface of the llat dish 21 is adapted for engagement with the brush -10 of the movable switchanember and a. metallic clip 30 is adapted for engagement with the aux-- iliary contact-men'iber 41 of said movableswitch-element, and it will be particularly noted that not only is a good contact insured, but the metallic clip which is subject to the greatest wear, may be reversed, so as to present its both faces for engagement, and may be replaced easily by a. new clip.

The binding-means at the top ol' the bushing 2t; comprises a plurality of metal disks or washers 35, superim 'iosed on the other end-portion ol' the bolt, and nuts 3U arranged on the bolt. Said bindinganeana also includes a terminal connection for a circuit-wire, which, as here shown, consists of a socketed body-piece 38, adapted to receive the end of the circuitnvire, and a perforated arm 39 formed integral therewith and adapted to be ar tinged on the bolt. between the nuts and washers, and to be held in fixed position by the nuts when they are turned down tightly on the bolt. The socketed body-piece is arranged at an angle with respect to its supporting-plate, so that the circuit-wire held by it may be directed toward the bushing.

An insulating housing- 71 is arranged over the binding means at the top of bushing :5 for the purpose of protecting said means from oil and spray that at times may be present in the chai'nber in which the terminals are disposed. Said housing is provided with a cylindrical inner portion 7? adapted to fit over the binding means, and

lt t

be held thereby against lateral displacement and removable in only a vertical direction. The walls of housing 71 surround the opening therein for the circuit wire or switch lead which extends about said wire for a sufl'icient distance to completely protect the terminal thereof from oil spray.

The movable switch-member comprises a brush t0, and an auxiliary contact-member 41, both arranged on a rod The upper end of the rod 45 is connected to a. bar 46, which bar may have several rods, as 45, conneeted with it, so that they are all adapted for simultaneous movement. The bar 4-6 has an car 47 to which one end of a link 48 is pivotally connected, the other end of said link being pivotally connected to an ear in rising from the suptmrting-plate. Said link consists of a pair of bars arranged in pan allel relation and spaced apart. The means naomas (aapleyed for moving said bar 46 thereby to move the switrlrelrments borne by it is run nectcd with said link lb. As hero shown. the toggle is provided for moving the link 18, which is adapted to be operated by the handle which is com'iectcd therewith. Said toggle cons" is ot an upper member comprising a pair of flat. bars 55 arranged in parallel relation and spaced apart, the upper ends of said bars being eonneetial to gether by a pin St), and the lower ends thereof being connected together by a pin 5T.

There is a stirrup 58 arranged at the upper end oi? said upper Il'lOIIllJGl which is held in place by the pin 56 and which extends beneath the pin 5!, arranged on the link at. a point intermediate its length, :-:ee big. i said pin being thus emln'aced by the stirrup .W and pin St]. The upper end at the upper member of the toggle is thus loosely coir nerted n ith thrliuh. The lower member ot the toggle consists oi an arm l t extended radialli fr m a hub til. having its hearings in a hole tormcd in the car 5d on the sup porting-plate, and said arm (it) is pivotal y connected with the lower end at the upper toggle member by a pin 57. The hub has a center-hole G2. with a keynvay 63, and said hole is arranged opposite a hole 6 1- in the wall of the inclosing-case which has a corresponding way 63. so that the end-portion ($5 of the handle 66, may be projected through said hole in the wall of the case and into the center hole of the hub. thus connecting it with the hub. and by reason of a spline (17 being formed on the emtportioi of the handle which enters the keyevaw said hub way be oscillated by the handle. thus to ()Ptlai't thc toggle and move the link l8" to in turn raise and lower the movable switchanembcr. The handle whidl. ashore shown. is a crank handle, is thus externally exposed on the case, and it is protected from the weather, in part at least, by an extension arranged on the outer wall of the case which is made hollow and extends over the upper end-portion of the handle. The key ways 63 and 63 in the hub and wall are arranged to be in alinement in the open condition of the switch and the end portion oi the handle may thereby enter the casing" and engage the hub to close the switch. If an attempt is made to remove the handle with the switch in closed position. the end of said spline is brought. into engagement; with the solid wall of the casing and further n'ioven'ient is prevented. It is only when the switch is in open position that the spline registers with the way (33 and the handle may be removed. In all other positions the handle effectively locks the switch unit. against removal from the case.

By extending over the end portion of the handle and adjacent thereto. it effectually prevents the removal of said handle from the ease, as the handle must be morod latorally tor the 1liseno'agzjemcni ot its shalt or end portion 5 from the switch merhanitan and casing and this movena-nt is permitted only when the cover [it is removed from the casing.

I claim:

1. In an electric switch, an inclosing case comprising a top portion. and a cover lor said top portion, a switch unit arranged within said cascn a switch operating memher having a handle rnirageable portion having an opening therein adjacent a wall of said top-portion, said top-portion having an opening therein in alinement ,with the opening in said switch operating; member. a crank handle extended through said openin and detachablr engaging said switch opcratinp' member for the operation oi the suitrh. and said cover having an extension projcrtinp orcr and shielding the opening in aid topportion from the weather and normally ti1"\tiill1l @fllit removal ol'said dr tarhable handle.

2. in an electric switch. a supporting plate. a stationary switch member supported thereby inchu'ling insulatingbushings having complcment'ary end portions arranged in alinement and between which said so porting plate is clamped. one of said busliings extended through and above said supporting plate for a consii'lerable distance to provide a long leakage path between a conductor extended through said bushings and said supporting plate. a bolt comprising a conductor extended through said bushings and terminating in a head. a contact block co'uprisiugz a flat plate dctachablr and reversibly arranged on said bolt and presenting a smooth contact surlarc to a movable switch member, a U shaped supplemental contact block arranged over a part of the periphery of said plate and detachably sccured thereto, said block being reversible to present a fresh contact face to a movable switch member, said contact block projeetinp above the surface of said plate whereby initial contact with a movable switch me1n her is made, said bolt being threaded at its upper end and a nut arranged thereon to clamp said detachable contact block, bushings and supporting plate together. and means arranged on said upper end for connection with a switch lead.

3. In an electric-switch, a switch-operating mechanism comprisinga bar supporting a movable switch-member. a link loosely connected at one end with said bar and pivotally connected at its other end, said bar and movable switch member being other wise unguided, a stirrup pivotally connected with said bar, a toggle, the upper member of which is loosely connected with said stirrup and its lower member adapted to receive a handle.

4. In an electric switch, an inclosing case, switch elements, and operating mechanism in said case and supported by a component part thereof, said switch operating mechanism including a guide link connected with the movable switch member to guide its movements, the movable switch member being otherwise unguided, a stirrup pivotally connected with said link and a toggle, one member of which is connected by a link to said stirrup and the other member ofv which consists of an arm extended radially from a hub having a center-hole, and a crank handle arranged outside of the ease and having an end portion which normally extends through a hole in the wall of the case and enters the center-hole of the hub.

In an oil switch, a supporting plate, a

stationary switch member arranged thereon having binding means for connection with a switch lead, and an insulatin housing detachably arranged over said binding means to protect said means and terminal from oil or spray, having a portion thereof shaped to conform to said binding means whereby said housing is maintained against lateral displacement from said binding means and having a lateral lip extending over said switch lead and binding means.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subseribin witnesses.

GE RGE A. BURNHAM. Witnesses B. J. Norms, H. B. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

